Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves
The dense and dynamic environments within active galactic nuclei (AGN) accretion disks may serve as prolific birthplaces for binary black holes (BBHs) and one possible origin for some of the BBHs detected by gravitational-wave (GW) observatories. We show that a considerable fraction of the BBH in AG...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ead |
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| author | Samson H. W. Leong Justin Janquart Aditya Kumar Sharma Paul Martens Parameswaran Ajith Otto A. Hannuksela |
| author_facet | Samson H. W. Leong Justin Janquart Aditya Kumar Sharma Paul Martens Parameswaran Ajith Otto A. Hannuksela |
| author_sort | Samson H. W. Leong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The dense and dynamic environments within active galactic nuclei (AGN) accretion disks may serve as prolific birthplaces for binary black holes (BBHs) and one possible origin for some of the BBHs detected by gravitational-wave (GW) observatories. We show that a considerable fraction of the BBH in AGN disks will be strongly lensed by the central supermassive black hole (SMBH). Thus, the nonobservation of lensed GW signals can be used to constrain the fraction of BBH binaries residing in AGN disks. The nondetection of lensing with current ${ \mathcal O }(100)$ detections will be sufficient to start placing constraints on the fraction of BBHs living within accretion disks near the SMBH. In the next-generation detectors era, with ${ \mathcal O }(1{0}^{5})$ BBH observations and no lensed events, we will be able to rule out most migration traps as dominant birthplaces of BBH mergers; moreover, we will be able to constrain the minimum size of the accretion disk. On the other hand, should AGNs constitute a major formation channel, lensed events from AGNs will become prominent in the future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aef3922026f3450292ae6e643f57879e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-aef3922026f3450292ae6e643f57879e2025-01-22T17:38:10ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019792L2710.3847/2041-8213/ad9eadConstraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational WavesSamson H. W. Leong0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0470-282XJustin Janquart1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2888-7152Aditya Kumar Sharma2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0067-346XPaul Martens3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9765-7735Parameswaran Ajith4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7519-2439Otto A. Hannuksela5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3887-7137Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong ; samson.leong@link.cuhk.edu.hkDepartment of Physics, Utrecht University , Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands; Nikhef , Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Center for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology—CP3, Université Catholique de Louvain , Louvain-La-Neuve, B-1348, Belgium; Royal Observatory of Belgium , Avenue Circulaire, 3, 1180 Uccle, BelgiumInternational Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bangalore 560089, IndiaDepartment of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong ; samson.leong@link.cuhk.edu.hkInternational Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bangalore 560089, India; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research , CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, CanadaDepartment of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong ; samson.leong@link.cuhk.edu.hkThe dense and dynamic environments within active galactic nuclei (AGN) accretion disks may serve as prolific birthplaces for binary black holes (BBHs) and one possible origin for some of the BBHs detected by gravitational-wave (GW) observatories. We show that a considerable fraction of the BBH in AGN disks will be strongly lensed by the central supermassive black hole (SMBH). Thus, the nonobservation of lensed GW signals can be used to constrain the fraction of BBH binaries residing in AGN disks. The nondetection of lensing with current ${ \mathcal O }(100)$ detections will be sufficient to start placing constraints on the fraction of BBHs living within accretion disks near the SMBH. In the next-generation detectors era, with ${ \mathcal O }(1{0}^{5})$ BBH observations and no lensed events, we will be able to rule out most migration traps as dominant birthplaces of BBH mergers; moreover, we will be able to constrain the minimum size of the accretion disk. On the other hand, should AGNs constitute a major formation channel, lensed events from AGNs will become prominent in the future.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9eadActive galactic nucleiGravitational wave astronomyStrong gravitational lensingGravitational waves |
| spellingShingle | Samson H. W. Leong Justin Janquart Aditya Kumar Sharma Paul Martens Parameswaran Ajith Otto A. Hannuksela Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves The Astrophysical Journal Letters Active galactic nuclei Gravitational wave astronomy Strong gravitational lensing Gravitational waves |
| title | Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves |
| title_full | Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves |
| title_fullStr | Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves |
| title_short | Constraining Binary Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei Disks Using the Nonobservation of Lensed Gravitational Waves |
| title_sort | constraining binary mergers in active galactic nuclei disks using the nonobservation of lensed gravitational waves |
| topic | Active galactic nuclei Gravitational wave astronomy Strong gravitational lensing Gravitational waves |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ead |
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